Checkrein.



PATENTBD JULY 14, 1908.

I J. GRIFFITH.

OHEGKREIN. APPLICATION FILED DBO. 11, 1907.

.IAMES RODNEY GRIFFITH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CHEGKREIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 11, 1907. Serial No. 406,099.

Patented July 14:, 1908.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs RODNEY GRIF- FITH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and Stateof California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Checkreins,of which the following is a specification.

Theobject of this invention is to provide a cheap and eflicient meansfor extending the length of a checkrein whereby the horse may be givengreater freedom or movement of his head downward whenever desired,without entirely releasing the checkrein from the terret.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a checkrein provided withmy improved.

attachment. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the same withone of the parts shown in dotted lines in the position which it occupieswhen the rein is extended. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modification.Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the attachment in use in twopositions.

Referring more particularly to the draw' ings; 1 indicates a checkreinwhich may be of any suitable construction and is connected at itsforward end with the usual bit in the ordinary manner. The rear end ofthe rein is provided with a loop 2 within which is secured a flattenedor elliptical ring 3. Loosely secured in said ring is a strap 4 which isdoubled at its middle so as to engage with the ring, and has its endseach provided with a loop or opening 5. These loops are adapted toengage with the terret hook 6 when the check is in position and willhold the horses lli ead up in the position shown in full lines in Whenit is desired to lengthen the overcheck and thereby permit the horse tolower the head into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, theupper length of the strap 4 is released'from the terret hook so that thestrap can pass freely through the ring 3. To prevent the end of thestrap from passing entirely through the ring, a stop is provided whichis shown in the drawings as a piece of leather 7 which is securedthereto in any desired manner, as by rivets 8 or stitching9. When theupper strand or length of the strap 4 has been released and drawnthrough the ring 3 the stop 7 will engage with the ring 3 and cause itand the end of the strap to proj ect upward as shown in dotted lines inFig. 2. By making the ring 3 so narrow that the loop 2 and the doubledportion of the strap 4 substantially fill it as shown in the drawings,it is evident that a very small stop will be sufficient to prevent thefree end of the strap being drawn through the ring. This permits of theattachment being made very cheaply, and by constructing the stop 7 largeenough to prevent the strap being drawn through the ring, a larger ringcan be used with equal efficiency.

Instead of forming the stop solid as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it could beformed as a loop 10 which could be secured to the upper length of thestrap as shown at 11, with the lower length of the strap passed throughthe loop as shown at 12. when the free end of the upper length of thestrap is released from the terret hook the loop would act as a runnerupon the lower length until it reached the ring 3 when the free movementwould be stopped, but which would afiord the desired freedom of movementfor the horses head.

In using my. invention, whenever it is desired to release theover-check, the upper strand or length of the loop is released from theterret and said length drawn through the ring until it is stopped by thering. When the check is to be restored, the detached end of the strap isdrawn to the rear and hooked over the terret hook which takes up theslack in the checkrein and causes the horse to hold his head as high asmay be desired.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In an over-check, a checkrein provided with a ring at its rear end, adoubled strap through said ring, the free ends of which are slotted andadapted to engage with the terret hook, and means connected with one ofsaid ends adapted to engage with said ring and prevent said end frompassing therethrough when it is disengaged from the terret hook.

2. In an over-check, a checkrein with a flattened ring at its rearfend,a strap doubled upon itself and passed loosely through said ring, thefree ends of said strap being slotted and adapted to engage with aterret hook,

With this construction and a stop comprising a shoulder secured to myhand at Los Angeles, California, this 20 said strap near oneof its freeends and adaptday of November 1907. ed to engage With said flattenedring and prevent the passage of said end of the strap JAMES RODNEYGRIFFITH 5 therethrough when disengaged from the ter- In presence of rethook. W. S. BOYD,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set FRANK L. A. GRAHAM.

